As a kid I was bullied on the school bus, and got into a fight. As a result I have been  an advocate for anti-bulling ever since. As a biology teacher it is important to teach people that  many differences are from genetics and through no fault of our own. Even  the color of our skin, is not only a reflection of what part of the world we live in, but how often, we are in front of the sun, along with genetic factors. Teach tolerance through understanding. When It comes down to you, we were all created the same way, and any differences that occur beyond that, are due to genetic factors and environmental influences. However the key phrase is: WE WERE ALL MADE THE SAME WAY.   My Creed: Understanding comes with knowledge and with knowledge you realize in the end of the day we are all homo sapiens. 

                I suppose my bullying story started way back in elementary school in Colorado. I didn’t really have any friends, and the ones I thought I had told me not to talk to them in school so people didn’t think we hung out. I was kind of ignored for most of elementary school until 6^th grade. Then a new kid named Caleb showed up and decided I was his new target. He made fun of my every day, pushed me around, stole my things, and made sure nobody wanted to be my friend. I was only eleven when I first threatened to take my own life. I figured that if Caleb hated me so much and nobody stood up for me they must all hate me just as much. This continued in middle school, at church, and into high school. The only thing that saved me was two kids who became my friends. They stood up for me and taught me to stand up for myself and ignore what people say. Eventually I found a large group of friends who helped me out and made me realize that I can be who I am and not have to worry about being judged by the rest of the world.

                Then college came and I was surprisingly bullied once again. I thought that stuff stopped after high school, but a group of guys on my floor in the dorms loved to make fun of me and call me weak. It made me want to kill myself again, but luckily for me some new friends came along. They had all been bullied and they saw what was happening. They invited me to their room and to sit with them in our classes we had together. Now I get to share an apartment with these same friends next year. I have seen bullying rip apart not only my life, but others’ as well. I refuse to let bullying happen while I stand idly by. Whether I become a lawyer, a federal law enforcement officer, a writer, or whatever I do with my degree I am working towards I swear I will work to stop bullying no matter what!

I'm different. I used to be called a freak and emo and every name you can think of. I like to dress different everyday. Sometimes skirts and sometimes black skinny jeans with a band tshirt. I was afraid to be myself because of how mean people were. I used to self harm because of it and of course they made fun of me for that too. But I've learned that no matter how different you are, it's okay. It's what makes you who you are. I love who I am. And I will never let anyone take that away from me. No one else should either.

it all started at 9 i wasn't even thinking about how i looked or anything i just knew that i was in school, with my friends. i have high gums(as in teeth) and it looks like i don't have any so for many years I've been called names. it still happens im 15 and its been 6 years. last year i almost commit suicide because i met a guy that made me completely fall in love. yeah, love, right? so he took me out one day and as we walked he told me we have to break up. a normal person would have freaked and asked why but i smiled and ask why... he made up this complete lie about his parents.meanwhile i was being stupid telling him my secrects because couple's are also suppose to be best friends so when we broke up i cried i have my moments where i just wanted to be alone but after about 3 days i saw him with a girl who just laughed at me. no words. just laughs. everywhere one by one everyone came and humiliated me. i ran i cried so hard. everyday i went to school and everyone laughed at me for tings that probably weren't true. i started to cut myself i spelled perfection on my right arm and on my left i spelled loneliness until i just wanted to be forgotten and i took some of my grandma's heart pills i took half the bottle and i woke up in the hospital my mom crying at the end of my bed and we moved there i met new friends and i met my now boyfriend i do have trust issues but im getting over it and now i have 1 year and 4 months with him and im better i am taking therapy bullying effected me so much that i just wanted to die it impossible to not find a bully somewhere because there everywhere but the thing is don't let it get to you because what if my brother who found me in my room wouldn't have been there? where would i be ? i thank God for my life and the fact that i have a new life and as hard as it was i have forgiven my bullies and so should you.

When I was in 3rd grade, I started gaining weight.  My "friends" who I thought would never make fun of me, did.  I was so mad, and I didnt know how to react, so I would get mad back at them and I was the one who got in trouble for it, instead of the bullies themselves.  There was a point in which I felt completely alone.  I had no friends anymore.  My parents knew what was going on and they did everything they could to make sure that it stopped, but it didnt and it finally came to a point in which I had to leave the school.  Thankfully as soon as I left the school, my bullying stopped, but my view of myself changed ALOT.  I went to another school and everyone at that school was AWESOME!  However, I was constantly making fun of myself all the time.  I did that because I believed what those bullies were saying.  There is a point, at least for me, that when you hear alot about you being said, you start to believe it.  I thought that I was fat and ugly, I thought that I was a loser, I thought that I was going to be a failure in life, I thought that there was no way out, but after some help from friends and parents and a counselor, I was able to conquer my self-torture.  

My lesson in my story is, there is always a way out.  Believe me when I say that your parents DO know what they are talking about, so don't be afraid to talk to them, or a teacher, or an actual friend that doesnt make fun of you, and if all else fails, just get away from them.  Suicide is DEFINATELY NOT the answer!!!  Things will always get better, and like I said, there is always a way out!

At 11 years old I can remember how I have been bullied and thought about what I could have done! I have been bullied all my life, ever since kindergarten to know. I have been able to look like it doesn't annoy me but it does. One big case was in 4th grade. I was slapped across the face by my "best friend" and called unspeakable names. There was only 2 girls who helped me. They talked to me about it and got me to tell my parents. Everyone's parents had a meeting with our guidance counselor. This was only a one time thing and nowadays she says that she feels so horrible about herself and will never ever do it again! I have seen bullying and it is not pretty. I deeply regret standing by! This is why I started a project! It is time to take a stand and help these kids out. WE CAN NOT LOSE ANY MORE LIVES DUE TO BULLYING!!! SFTS

I was bullied throughout my entire academic career.  From early primary school all the way to my senior year in high school.  I never experienced physical bullying, but as a child going through puberty, I was constantly harassed and belittled by people who were no better than me.  I will never understand how or why they chose me.  I will never understand why time after time I went to administration it never stopped.

After I graduated in January of 2013, my life totally changed.  I love getting up in the morning; I love being around my friends and family (the few which stuck by my side throughout middle and high school).  I am absolute living proof that every time someone tells you "It will get better after high school," they aren't lying.  It takes so much perseverance and it takes looking at the people who LOVE you, not just like you.  Your life has a beautiful meaning and purpose and no child that is in the same boat you are has any right to tell you it doesn't.  There is beauty in every person; there is a meaning in every person; and there is love for every person.

We shouldn't refer to ourselves as 'victims' of bullying; we should refer to ourselves as SURVIVORS of bullying, because that is EXACTLY what we are.  Only the people that have been there understand exactly what it is like to be able to say, "I am a survivor of bullying."

 Vamos lá, hoje vou contar a história de uma amiga minha, ela sempre foi humilhada, sempre sofria , era zuada por seus ''colegas'' de escola, pelo fato de ser a mais magra ali, ela tentava levar isso na brincadeira as vezes, ria junto, mas no fundo eles sabiam que aquilo a estava magoando, alguns meses depois, ficou sem ir na aula por alguns meses, mas sua família não sabia nem ninguem, quando descobriram que ela estava ''matando aula'' perguntaram o porque, retrucaram e chingaram ela , ate não poderem mais, só que essas pessoas , principalmente a familia e amigos dela, não sabia oque estava se passando, ela não aguentava mais ter de ir a escola e ouvir os desaforos de novo... Aquelas risadas não saiam da cabeça dela, era como se tivessem a perseguindo, um dia criaram uma ''comunidade'' para ela no orkut, depois disso ela falou com uma amiga da pessoa que fez isso, e ele excluiu.. mais já era tarde, a cidade inteira já estava sabendo , todos ficaram zuando ela, até que chegou a um ponto, que ela começou a cometer o ''cutting'' , de tanta dor que ela sentia, as dores dos cortes, já não eram mais nada em relação a dor da alma dela, eles a aliviavam da dor de cada risada, cada zoação provocada pelos agressores. Isso foi ficando cada vez pior, mas ninguém nunca percebeu, sempre usava blusa de frio, as pessoas perguntavam o porque, e ela dizia ''Estou com frio'' mesmo num calor de 30 graus... Certo dia, bebeu algumas pilulas, para tentar se matar, mas não funcionaram e ela só dormiu.. e de novo, ninguém desconfiou, suas ''amigas'' não sabem ouvir ela, dizem que é mazoquismo, que é pra chamar atenção, mas nenhum tipo de ajuda ainda. Bom, essa garota ainda se corta, e ainda é zuada, não tanto,mas a dor ainda continua, e ngm foi ajudar ainda.. Essa é uma das historias e bully, que eu estive presente, e presenciei.. é isso.

My name’s Natasha. I’m 10 years old. I was a self-harmer. I’m in depression.

The reason is because of the pressure to be perfect.

At school, I have three best friends. But they don’t act like ones. They act like my bullies, determined to bully me until the end. They act like they care, but they really don’t. It takes them five minutes to get back to their selves. They are one of those people who think I’m a freak. Their names are Shannon, Martine and Marie.

Shannon is basically the boss. Don’t agree with her, you get in a fight with and the whole class will turn against you.  We do get into fights a lot. All of them are her fault. But she’s too much of a spoilt brat to admit it. She always says I don’t care but in fact, if she spent more time not being a brat, maybe she’ll see how much I’ve tried. You know, it’s really funny how I always do all these nice things for her but   she never notices. She, Martine and Marie always exclude me out of everything. Before it used to be Me, Martine and Marie, but Shannon came along and everything was ruined. We always fought and somehow, I was the one ending up being hurt. But even then, when it was Martine, Marie and me, everything wasn’t picture perfect. If I stand up to her about something and I’m right, she always says how mean I am and tells the other two not to talk to me. Shannon is always mean to me and all of them play rude, mean and really hurtful pranks on me. And they’re not funny at all. Shannon never admits she’s wrong. She makes unnecessary rude, hurtful comments.

Martine always blames everything on me and makes me feel guilty for the wrong reason. She’s never fair one me and feels the need to correct me on everything. She said I’m black (not true, I am just naturally tanned).

Marie is always sour to me. She goes with everything Shannon and Martine say and is mean to me.

All of them are rude to me and go with what each other say and never once stood up for me.

This girl, Katelyn, said I’m black.

Another girl, Faith, is so rude to me and hurts my feelings a lot. She treats me like I’m not there. This guy, Mark, said I’m mental too.

The whole class judges me on everything and calls me black, freak, mental, weak etc and a lot of other names. People taunt me a lot. They tease me for being sensitive and crying a lot.

I never really had a real friend.

I have an obsession with the singer Avril Lavigne and people say I’m a lesbian because of it.

I was once punched by a boy.

At home, everyone was so disappointed in me even when I tried my best. I was told I am a failure. My sisters think I don’t do my best but in reality I’m trying my best. One of them feels the need to criticize me even when I’m doing my best. The other asked why I’m such a failure child and then chanted in front of my Mom and me, “Natasha is a failure child!” My Mom laughed. Now that really stung. My Mom didn’t defend me or scold her or anything but if I said it there would be a whole lot of drama. And that night I thought my sister was right; mom didn’t love me at all. I cried myself to sleep already but then I had another reason to cry even harder.

I used to keep a compass in my bathroom and scratch myself each night. But I stopped when I found out it will make things worse.

All of that, made me realize how true everything everyone said was. I am weak. I am a freak. I am a failure. I am ugly. I can’t do anything right. Nothing at all.

I considered suicide, but then thought how I would go to hell for doing it.

I know I’m nothing. I cry myself to sleep every night.

The only reason I haven’t broken down completely yet, is because I know God put me with a plan on this Earth and if no one loves, He does and He cares.

I want to be perfect, believe me, but I can’t. I’m not one of those girls.

And all this time no one noticed how much I’m hurting.

My life feels like it’s caving in on me. I do feel like I don’t want to exist, like I just want to curl into a ball and go into that place between life and death. Saying “I don’t want to exist” isn’t saying “I want to die”. Its saying “I want to go somewhere and not have to feel”.

I wasn't a bullied kid and that's a mystery. I was a geeky, funny looking kid, pretty smart but short on social skills and incapable of gaining popularity. Knowing I was just slightly above bullying level, I tried my best to keep under the radar. Whenever bullying was going on, I defended my position by doing nothing, even though I knew it was wrong.  An adult now,  I deeply regret that. If I could go back I would take a deep breath and stand up against the popular crowd to make a stand for what I always knew was right.

I can't go back. What I can do is make a promise to myself that NEVER AGAIN when I see something that I know is wrong, will I stand IN the crowd when I have the power to stand UP IN FRONT of the crowd. Never Again.